Al Sharpton, Comcast, NBC Merger, Conflict Of Interets?

A recent editorial from The Daily Beast suggests that Rev. Al Sharpton’s endorsement of the Comcast/NBC merger is a somewhat conflict of interest, considering Comcast owns shares in his current employer Radio One, a black-owned niche.

The Daily Beast Reports:

He was trumpeting a merger that’s already paid dividends to Radio One and its affiliate TV One, which reportedly pay him $700,000-a-year for his six-year-old radio show, commentary, and other appearances on TV One, and occasional blogging on their joint website, NewsOne.

While Radio One is the largest single shareholder in TV One, Comcast has been its partner since TV One’s inception in 2004 and, until recently, held almost as much stock in the television network, 34 percent, as Radio One, 36.8 percent. In fact, Comcast’s role in the launch of this network, which targets a national black audience, was cited repeatedly by the company when questions were raised about its diversity track record during the yearlong debate about this merger.